Giulia leads the Innovation Funding team within the SME Directorate at Connected Places Catapult. In her role, she oversees CPC’s Innovation Funding Programmes and competitions, which amount to over £8m annually across our ecosystems. Notably, she spearheads the flagship Transport Research Innovation Programme (TRIG), funded by the Department for Transport. The programmes within Giulia’s portfolio are geared towards propelling new, cutting-edge ideas and technologies that have the potential to revolutionise the transport of the future. Prior to joining CPC, Giulia worked for 13 years in Research & Innovation within the rail industry, where she successfully delivered projects, events and established academic and industrial partnerships. Giulia’s expertise in cultivating partnerships underscores her ability to leverage collaborative efforts for the advancement of complex initiatives and maximising their impact.